Debby Is STILL Losing Weight! A Message Of Hope

It’s been eight months since we checked in with Debby Armstrong about her weight loss, her health, and whether she feels that the surgical lapband was right for her. Last week, I had a chance to sit down with her again. Although she has last eleven more pounds, Debby is more excited about the obvious inches she has lost.

“At my biggest, I was wearing a size 20. Today, I wear a size 10-12, she smiled. Dr. Byrd has always told me that once I start building muscle, I will look thinner, but it won’t show on the scale. That is where I am right now.”

And you want to know her daily routine, don’t you? I did too so I asked her to spell it out so that we could all understand what it is that she does on a daily basis.

“When you have a band, you have to drink something warm in the morning. It can be coffee, tea, or even just hot water and lemon. This expands the band so I can eat. I drink this first thing in the morning.

“Usually, I have coffee and where I used to grab a piece or toast or donut, now I make a protein shake or grits, malt-o-meal, cream of wheat or a scrambled egg. All of these are good for the protein.

“Since starting the process, I make sure I eat from 60-80 grams of proteins each day. I constantly check sugar and protein content, pushing one down and the other up. I know immediately if I am not getting enough protein because I will feel like I am dragging. Of course, I also need the fiber, and the cereal is good for this.”

Debby also takes multivitamins and calcium that bariatric compatible, chewable or gummies. And she adds a sublingual B12. Of course, you have to remember that the band keeps terrible hunger at bay, and as I told you last time, Debby is determined to stay healthy.

“As far as meals, I eat lots of tuna and other fish and chicken salad. Anything cooked in the crock pot goes down well. Where I used to eat a whole chicken breast, now I will eat about 1/3 of it. When we eat in a restaurant, I just go ahead and order my to go box when I order my food.”

Then, I asked about will power…

“I don’t eat breads anymore. It has become will power because I feel so much better and have so much more energy that it is easy to use will power. Plus, I’ve learned that I’d rather have other things. I don’t eat the breads because they will fill me and then I won’t eat the right things.

“I do treat myself though. Sometimes I will have Dairy Queen ice cream in a cup. There is not a lot of sugar in it, and that has become one of my favorite treats.

“I knew ahead of time that sodas would be gone for me because of the carbonation. I was addicted to diet DP and before I had surgery, I gradually weaned myself off of them.
Now I drink lots of iced tea and water.”

Debby went on to say that the lapband is not for everyone, “but it is what has worked for me. I think you have to be mentally prepared, and I was. I was all or nothing, and I was determined to be as healthy as I could be.”

This time, I asked about the function of the lapband because I don’t know a lot about this process. What I learned is that the band is placed around the top part of the stomach, and it is done as a day surgery.

“I have three little places where they went in to place the band.”

What I did not know was that at times people who have the band have doctors do what is called a fill. This is where they go in and insert a saline solution into the band. This tightens the band so that they will eat less. Without getting too technical, apparently there are several factors that might cause a band to need to be tightened, including the weather.

“It does not hurt nearly as badly as a mammogram,” Armstrong laughed.

No one patient is allowed to have over six fills per year. Last year, Debby had four fills and two deflates.

“I had the deflates because the band had tightened due to stress, sinus drainage, and allergies, and I was not able to eat as I should. I am very cautious. My body has been through a lot of changes and I want it to have time to level out.

“Every time I think I have a problem, I call them immediately, and they are so very good to see me.”

And before we conclude, I do need to remind you once again, that Debby does now work for True Results. Here at texansunited.com, we in no way endorse this company, nor do we suggest the lapband as a means of weight loss.

We do, however, like to bring you the success stories of fellow Texans, and weight loss is something that concerns almost all of us on a daily basis. If you have questions, feel free to contact Debby Armstrong personally.

About Fredda Jones

Fredda Davis Jones was raised “in the country” in Comanche County and learned very early that creativity and innovation are traits that can flourish even in small-town Texas and that with enough effort, indeed nothing is impossible, including being married to the same man for over 40 years! Rickey and Fredda have 2 children, 5 grandchildren, and a crazy life that includes sitting in the bleachers several times a week. The rest of her time is spent creating great content for texansunited.com and marketing small-town Texas.